Once developed, an integrated circuit (IC) may remain in service for an extended period of time. An IC may remain in service for years after design and testing is complete. Throughout the time that the IC remains in service, the provider and/or designer of the IC may need to provide various users with support services. This requires familiarity with the different circuits and systems implemented within the IC.
There may be several obstacles to supporting an IC throughout its lifecycle. One obstacle is that the persons responsible for supporting the IC may not be the same persons that originally designed the IC. In some cases, this is intended where different personnel are assigned to support functions than design functions. In other cases, this is an unintended consequence of attrition over the years.
Another obstacle is the potential unavailability of design files for the IC. In some cases, the original design files are either lost or not properly archived. In either case, the design files are not available to support personnel. In cases where support is provided by personnel not involved in the IC design, access to the design files may be critical. Even in the case where the original designers do provide support, the need for support may not arise for years after the original design is complete. As such, even the designers may need access to the design files to become re-acquainted with the details of the design.